Wednesday, February 28, 2007

It's not a race....but a marathon

OK, so I played my first marathon session of 2007 at Planet Hollywood. I started at Monday Feb 26th at 12:30pm I stopped playing Wed Feb 28th at 1:30am. Here is how my schedule during this session broke down:

Feb 26
12:30p - 3:30p (3hrs)
9:30p - 12:00a (2.5hrs)

Feb 27
12:00a - 10:00a (10hrs)
2:30pm - 12am (9.5hrs)

Feb 28
12a - 1:30 (1.5hrs)


All in all I played a total of 26.5 hours, and as February has gone, I was making up ground most of the time. Finally when the smoke cleared I was up $600 over these hours for an hourly rate of $22.65. Not ideal but for February, this is great.

During this session I saw a lot go on. A lot of suck outs, me personally going on tilt then re correcting, but I was able to change gears pretty good most of the time. In the final leg of the session, I was getting tired, and I guess a bit cranky, which is not good for the Duke, after all i already don't handle being drawn out on very well, so to add to this just makes it worse.

I was sitting at the same table with Mike and Todd when Todd and I got into it a little over a hand where he had QQ, I had KJ of hearts and there were two other players in a pot. Todd was upset cause I had flopped a flush draw with 2 overs, and called his raise of another player to $40 and turned a K, he was not happy, and so a few minutes later when i had JJ he called my raise then lead out, and caught a board pairing 10 on the turn, where I had to fold my hand. As we exchanged words, such as the ingenious phrase only I could say when mad at a friend at the poker table, "Don't worry, I'll 4-6 you, I will snap you off, maybe not today or tomorrow, built soon and I will refer back to this and say, remember when?" OK we were being idiots. Highwaytime Mike saw this, and knew we were on a crash course, so as the blinds approached he stood up ever so quietly, picked up a rack, and racked up hi mound of newly found wealth from the table, and left. I told he before he left I would have put $2000 on it he was about to leave when Todd and I started after all, neither Todd nor I know when to stop.....LOL

In the end it all worked out, although I did play one other pot with Todd when he re raised a Donkey to $40, when i was on the button with AcKc and called, to my surprise the flop of KKA came down, Todd lead out, I called, and the Donkey folded. I had wished Todd would have checked as I know the Donkey if he didn't think one of us had a full house, would have been willing to go broke with almost any two cards. Anyways on the turn Todd Checked and I just went all in, he had done that earlier when I had KK, and he had AA, so i felt it was only fair to return the favor. After all we both work too hard to take each others money when there is so much of the tourists money on the table.

Well I am off again today to finish my month at Planet Hollywood. I would like to book around a $500 win today in 8 hours, hopefully I can pick up some momentum and not be in the game, deep early. Wish me luck, and the sun has got to shine soon, thank God March is right around the corner.


Stats:

Hours: 130.5hrs

Profit: $2105.00


Hourly: $16.19/hr (way below goal)

Monday, February 26, 2007

I Know It Has Been A While - Many Sessions

OK so I have played about 8 sessions since my last post, during that time, Anna Nicole Smith Died, the NBA All Star Game Was in Las Vegas. Well if you just ask Highwaytime Mike you will know these sessions went as well as they could for it still being the month of February. This month has been horrid, I cannot build any steam and as soon as I do, I end up, going on tilt and playing Black Jack.

OK, so first off I need to avoid the Black Jack table, I know it favors the house, I am still up for the year playing Black Jack. I just need to avoid playing it. Second I need to manage my sessions a little better, my time, etc. Play for a long session when winning, play less if I have a losing session just to clear my head.

During this run I have played between the Aladdin, MGM, Paris & Bally's. I have been successful in most of my sessions just not many big wins overall. During this time here were my stats.

Hours over period: 47hrs

Profit: $1270.00

This brings my total for the month to

Hours: 104hrs

Profit: $1505.00

Hourly: $14.47/hr


At least over this period I have raised my hourly for the month. It has been such a grind. Here is an example of the type of month it has been.

On Feb 24th, I got off work at 2am and made my way to Paris to play $1 - $2 No limit. There were 4 games when I arrived and most players were bad. Within an hour and a half I was up $440. The max buy in at Paris is $300.00 so my chips stack was at $740.00. I was not having to do anything but make the best hand bet it out and get called down. Dream scenario for all poker players. I was feeling good about this session when this hand came up. I was in the cutoff seat, while my table was 7 handed. The player under the gun had just racked up his chips to leave he had just over $600.00. The cards were delt and he made a raise of $15.00. I felt this was his last hand and a lot of players have a tendency to make moves when they are about to leave, kind of the old, I'll try to win one more before I go. I looked down, I was holding two black 9's, I called as did the button & Small Blind. We went 4 ways for $15.00 there was $62.00 in the pot. The flop of Js 9H 4H cam down. The UTG player bet out making it $15.00, I just smooth called my set of 9's, kind of gambling, looking to have a blank hit the turn them make my move. The button called, and the small blind folded. $107.00 in the pot at this point. The turn card was the 2c. The UTG player bet out $25.00, now I felt it was time to make my move, no need to let the button draw for free, plus, I want to see if the UTG player will play back at me. I Raise to $125, I know I under bet the pot, but was intending on getting the UTG player to play back at me. To my surprise the button called, and so did the UTG player. Now there was $482.00 in the pot, OK I really want to win this pot, the river was the As, in my opinion the best card in the deck, cause now if the button was on the nut flush draw he will have to call a big river bet since he made his hand. Plus this will make AJ feel like he has the best hand. The UTG player leads out to $200.00, I stop and think for a few minutes trying to figure out my opponents betting. All I could really think of was that maybe he had AK or AQ of hearts, and hit his A and thought it was good. After I thought more, he only had $200 more behind, and the button only had $200, so either was I was getting all of their chips or just the UTG players. I decided to go all in, and get the rest of my chips in the pot. The button folded and the UTG player called the pot was now at $1322.00, I showed down my set of 9's, he shook his head then rolled over JJ, yep that's right I flopped set over set for the 4th time this month. I wasn't even mad. I just chalked it up to the month I was having, called myself unlucky.

So what was there to do next, just as Todd says, "Nothing to do, but buy more chips."
I was going to take off the rest of the month, but I feel I need to lay, so I am heading down to the Aladdin today to put in a serious session. Wish me luck, with how February has been, I need it.


Al Diablo

Monday, February 19, 2007

Where to start

OK so February has not been my most profitable month, with the late start due to my trip to Washington, and now the All Star weekend, I have not put in as many hours as I would like to have a nice month. Currently my breakdown looks like this.

Hours: 57

Profit: $235

Hourly: $4.12/hr

So I am feeling good, I mean those numbers are better then they were to start the month off. I was down over $1500, after only playing about 12 hours, so I would say, it is a nice little upswing.

I have played 4 sessions since my last post, won a little, but I did finish my hours at the Monte Carlo, and for the record I finally hit my first high hand jackpot in about 6 months when I flopped Quad Queens. Well I will be playing this week, wish me luck, I will post blogs more regular during my play the rest of the month.

As a side note, the Gamblin Duke will be writing a guest blog in the next day or two on how to establish +EV UTG in No Limit Hold Em' and why it is good for your good table image doing so.

Till then:

"May the Decepticons rise and rule the Transformers world." Chuck Norris



El Diablo

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Who Is 'The Gamblin Duke'

He is not just any ordinary superhero, no not even Chuck Norris will attempt to battle him. He is skilled as an assassin, trained higher and beyond a Navy Seal, he makes Jack Bauer ponder the meaning of life. He is precise, strikes quickly, doesn't worry about anyone who gets in his way. To sum it up (which is truly impossible), he is the most skilled gamer to ever walk the face of the earth. He doesn't believe that gambling pertains to him. To him it is always skill, he is THE GAMBLIN DUKE.

His knowledge of the games he plays is vast, and he makes claims that only the genius can lament. Like "I invented the check raise" or "The Bellagio high hand jackpot used to exist." He is loved by the ladies and envied by the men, he is THE GAMBLIN DUKE.

He reads his opponents like a book, chapter by chapter page by page, while he becomes knowledgeable and more energized, he wears them down, to a point where they feel tattered and beaten. Soon he will strike, taking away the elements that they need to be successful. He removes their ability to reason, their common sense is destroyed, he is able to see into their souls, he is THE GAMBLIN DUKE.

So now you need not ever wonder why this man of magnificence is who he is, he just is. He is so mysterious that scholars claim that his family history just disappeared like his last opponents chips as he showed down his full house. He is an international man of mystery, a gentleman you could only wish to have the pleasure to sit besides, he is THE GAMBLIN DUKE.


A link to what just may be the only remnent of THE GAMBLIN DUKE'S heratige:http://www.victorianweb.org/history/pms/wellington.html


Author: El Diablo "The Fighting Chicken"

Saturday, February 10, 2007

3 Sessions - 3 Wins

Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino
Feb 7th & 8th (Played 2 different sessions on the 8th)
1-2 No Limit
Hours: 18
Profit: + $1400

Well they say sometimes a change of scenery is good, that has been the case with the Monte Carlo. I am playing here because they are doing a $100,000 free roll tournament. Players can qualify for the tournament by playing 40 hours before Feb 28th. The games have been good, I make my hand, I bet, I get paid off. Now this is the way it is suppose to happen. It also helps when you catch some cards.

The second session on the 8th I played with Highwaytime, and a friend of ours Todd. This session was crazy, it made me look like I was a card catching machine. But really I only played hands against certain players. One player in particular, I was able to get him to pay me off in a few different hands. I had made an earlier play when he folded a hand where I smooth called the flop then raised the turn when I had flopped a set against him. He folded but you could tell he was frustrated that he had to fold, he made a good play, but this hand set me up to be able to play big pots against him, when he had just top pair.

The next hand I played against him I was in middle position and raised to $12 with the Qs 6s. I had determined that if I was gonna play a hand like this, then I wanted to dictate the action, so I would raise. A calling station behind me called, as well as our 'Friend' (as we will call him from here out) did from the small blind. I knew he was looking to play pots against me and would call with a large range of hands here. The flop of Js 9s 6c came down. Our Friend checked and I thought for a minute and realized, if I bet here, the calling station having position may call with a J or even a 9, but if I check it was less likely the calling station would lead out unless he had a monster. So I decided to check and as I thought the calling station checked. This was a great check cause the turn was the 6d, yeah I turned bottom pair and a flush draw into the perpetual powerhouse it now was. Our Friend gave me a look like he had just won the lottery and lead out for $25, I knew right then he had flopped top pair and that he liked to board pairing, he figured that he had the best hand for sure. Without hesitation, as I did on the turn when I had hit my set prior I raised to $80, I knew this would make him call, since in his mind he was thinking his hand was good from the time before. The calling station folded and of course our Friend called. The river was the 5s, now I had made my flush, I was afraid this would slow him down, no spade and he check raises me all in for sure here. He checks and I bet $75, he insta-called me, and I showed him my hand. He was in disbelief, he showed J - 9 off, I scooped the pot and he immediately went on tilt. Other players started taking advantage of this, as he started paying people off at the rate of $100 per hand.

About 15Min's later, our Friend limped in middle position, Highwaytime Mike limped. I was in the Big Blind looked down and I had QQ, usually I would raise, but knowing that I want to raise to thin the field, three way action was good, plus if Mike out flopped me I would know pretty quickly and be able to let this go. The flop of 8c 6s 4h came down. I checked as I wanted to see if our friend caught any part. He bet $15, I put him on A - 8 as he liked playing this type of hand in middle position. Mike folded and I just called. The turn was the 4s, and I lead out with a bet of $40, I knew he was frustrated and thought he might go all in. He got upset when I bet, looked at me as though I had just kicked his dog and called. The river was the 3d, I bet $70, and he insta-called me once again, I said "A - 8 no good, and rolled over my hand to show him QQ. He said "I can't put you on that, how can I put you on pocket Queens." All I could think is, 'That's right, how can you put me on that, that is exactly why I played it that way' it was great having an opponent, that you could just tell where he was. He had hands where he bet and I folded, I tried to play it smart. I never gave him action when he was ahead, but was able to force him to give me action every time I did. I tried not to get too crazy with him unless I had the goods and he would pay me off. Finally Todd busted him when Todd limped in the Small Blind with pocket Aces, Todd and our Friend ended up flopping set over set and both turning a full house. After this hand our Friend got up after he had just received a beat down for over $600.

So far my Monte Carlo experience has been good, I do enjoy the room, I know after the free roll the games will be even better without all the locals. I do feel I have been making a little better choices in my play and have been able to change gears pretty easy against certain players. I have made plays against the tight players where they have raised pots and I have played back at them, I think I have kept a good unpredictable style that has made it hard for people to put me on a hand.

I will resume playing on Monday, and hopefully will get my hours in that I need to qualify for the free roll. I have a lot going on this weekend, but I am glad I can report, that I am now up for the month, not a whole lot, but after my beat downs at the Aladdin, it is nice to be in the black. I will try to write the first installment of "Playing with The Gamblin Duke" while I am not playing this weekend. Good luck and thanks for reading.

El Diablo Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
"Roosters may rise in the morning, but the best Chickens fight at night"

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

"Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, King Kong The......FUCK!"

OK so I am officially having nightmares. I waited to blog about my first session of February as when I think about it, or mention it I all the sudden have acid reflux. What a session, I mean nothing went my way. Okay at first things were going great, I quickly doubled up with 4 -5 of spades when I raised and got called by the calling station who had K-9 off. The Flop of K 5 4 rainbow came down and he went broke against my two pair. Then I made the nut flush in a raised pot and took down another big pot.

Then things started to fall off, I established a good table image by not having to showdown many hands, the pots I won were not showdowns except the 4-5 so people were putting me on making moves. It was good cause as I picked up premium hands I was getting action, the problem was the action was outdrawing me. I had KK 5 times, 5 times it was not good three times it went to show down two times I mucked by the turn. After being up around $300 I quickly found myself re buying another $200 to be invested into the game a total of $500.

I had a hand where when another player raised I smooth called with QQ, one ofthe loose aggressive player called, and we went 3 ways for $20 preflop. The flop of 10h 9c 6d came down. I liked this flop, I was sure the loose aggressive player had some type of Ace in his hand as that was his type of hands, and the other player was at least good to bet and call a raise to see the turn. To my surprise the loose aggressive player just went all in for $145, after the original raiser folded, I called to see the LAP turn over A-9 of spades he had second pair, wow the turn was the Jc and made me feel even better, then the river the 9d and I was informed "Yeah, man that is it, ship those chips to daddy." Amazing not only did I lose the pot I was insulted as well.

Then in another pot I raised with AcQc and got called and called down for $150 by 9h 7h after her called a pot size bet on the flop and the turn. He looked up at me and said, "You shouldn't have bet so much! I knew you didn't have anything betting so much!" I thought what the fuck I made almost the exact amount pot sized bets? What am I supposed to bet. I think it was his way of justifying to the table that he called that hand down.

So overall I lost $500, tucked my tail and left. I was disappointed cause I had such a good fresh feeling about the session. But I guess that is the way thing go. Lets just hope I don't lose the next 5 times I have pocket Kings or I might end up just folding them petaflop. LOL